Downplaying Diversity
The new advertising campaign of the Minnesota Office of Tourism, AKA Explore Minnesota recently introduced a web 2.0 inspired internet portal to enlist the knowledge of residents as a sharing tool for travelers interested in an “insiders” perspective. It’s not a bad concept. My Favorite Minnesota has plenty of room for improvement though. The interface is cludgy and not the least bit intuitive. For me, however, the most dissapointing aspect hit like a January windchill. A full page ad introducing the site appeared in the Star Tribune. The collage in the ad showed Minnesotans in all sorts of poses and garb but it was obvious something was missing. There were no African Americans, in fact you had to look real hard to find the one minority, Peter Wong, a golfer and photographer who lists his favorite Minnesota golf courses. Minnesota is a state that prides itself on progressive politics and a welcoming atmosphere so much we even call it Minnesota Nice.
So far the site has been up about a month. As far as I can tell no one has added a list beyond the initial campaign recruits. When the advertisers go back to the drawing board they would be well served to consult successful internet marketers and include more authentic and reresentative examples to inspire prospective visitors.Trying to generate community while downplaying diversity is a recipe for failure. Unless like New Mexico you are looking for visitors from outside the solar system.
